Forced marriages are made because of family pride, the wishes of the parents, or social obligation.

In response to the problem of forced marriages among immigrants in the UK, the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 was passed, which enables the victims of forced marriage to apply for court orders for their protection.

"Forced marriage is just another species of domestic violence. ... It's a breach of human rights and a transgression of every known faith and culture," says Patricia Scotland, the Home Office minister of justice who has spearheaded the government's campaign against forced marriages. She says that although she favors criminalizing forced marriages, the majority of responses to the government study have been against such legislation.

The United Kingdom has a Forced Marriage Police Unit :

From the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons - 2010 Report on Trafficking in Persons - Topics of Special Interest:

Forced and Child Marriages

Marriage induced through force, coercion, or deceit is a global phenomenon engendered by cultural and societal norms about the institution of marriage and the roles of spouses. Forced marriage is one entered into without full consent and under duress, where the individual has no right to choose a partner or ability to say no.

Around the world, forced or coerced marriages are used by parents and families as a means to many ends, but most commonly to settle debt, receive dowry payments, further economic interests, relieve poverty, obtain residency permits, display status, provide inheritance, counteract promiscuity, and serve as compensation for a wrongful death. Forced marriages render the forced party (in most cases a woman) vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by her spouse or his family, who exercise significantly greater power and control. This can trap the victim in conditions of enslavement, particularly in domestic or sexual servitude.